Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Mage and Mage
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A black stele crashed down in front of Eddie. The massive stone pillar, towering just over two meters, glowed as it scattered voices in every direction.
[O sinner, hear this.]
Ian instinctively recognized the identity of the anomaly.
Hammurabi's Code. The infamous law code from ancient Babylonia, known for "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth," with judgments that were brutally merciless. If he waited silently for the verdict, one of his limbs would surely be severed.
There was no reason to endure it. Ian opened the summoned grimoire and chanted the incantation.
"The ignorant climb, throwing the mortal world into chaos. In His name, the world shall be purified."
Magic fundamentally divided into two types: ritual magic, activated by reciting specific incantations or performing actions alone, and ceremonial magic, requiring lengthy preparations, magic circles, and materials. These were the most basic principles of magic activation, the natural order of all ether.
But the magic of Outer Gods ignored such conventions. The magic of the Outer Faithful could manifest in any form the master desired—its risks differed, but not its effects.
Thanks to that, he could counter even a surprise attack launched without any preparation.
"Erase."
Krurrrr...!
With Ian's utterance, a white, wax-like liquid began dripping from the ceiling. Eddie, who had been silently listening to the code's verdict, furrowed his brow at the flowing liquid.
"Ritual magic. No, it's too large-scale for that."
He deftly retreated, putting distance between himself and the white paint-like substance.
Hammurabi's Code couldn't. Covered in white in an instant, the code corroded away without a trace. For the end of a fairly powerful anomaly, it was anticlimactically feeble, but no one paid it any mind.
"What's the grimoire's name?"
Eddie asked, pulling a bundle of teeth from his pocket. Instead of answering readily, Ian smirked faintly and showed him the grimoire's cover.
"Read it if you can."
"...Ha."
A title written in an unknown language. Eddie lit another cigarette and tossed the teeth he held onto the floor.
"A keeper."
Kkaduduk!
The teeth cracked open like eggs, and tiny creatures crawled out from within.
They had fairy-like wings. Their large heads and disproportionately small bodies looked grotesque rather than cute, even with the wings. All of them scanned their surroundings with bloodshot eyes, grinding their teeth with a kkaduduk sound.
"...?"
But the anomalies couldn't pinpoint Ian's location and merely spun in circles. Ian guessed the reason and smiled inwardly.
*'Magic on the coat.'*
A spell to slip from the sight of mindless beings. The defensive incantation had exhausted its effect on the cruise ship, but this magic still held strong.
"...Damn bastard."
A crack appeared on Eddie's consistently calm face.
He didn't know exactly what method Ian had used, but he felt rage at the fact that his magic had failed to produce results twice now.
Back in his clock tower days, Eddie had been a respected mage of considerable skill. His handling of anomalies rivaled even his master's. His name hadn't risen as a candidate for elder of the school for nothing.
And yet, he—
—was struggling against some novice mage from a small East Asian country without proper magical education?
"Ha!"
Eddie let out a hollow laugh at the absurd notion.
"You're lucky, young mage. Got some trinket that evades anomaly's eyes, huh?"
"...What?"
Ian furrowed his brow as if wondering what nonsense that was. Ignoring him, Eddie drew a dagger and murmured in a chilling voice.
"No use hiding it. I've already figured it all out."
"...."
"I'll kill you, take the grimoire—and that trinket too. Treasures belong to those who can use them best, after all."
An arrogant declaration. Ian considered responding but shut his mouth and calmly sorted his thoughts.
He didn't know the man's true identity. But if he had to guess, he was probably the mage who had manipulated the Monkey's Paw. He'd discerned Ian's identity through the magic formula lingering on the paw and come hunting directly upon sensing the grimoire.
It wasn't the intended outcome, but what was done was done.
If he didn't want to die, he'd have to kill.
He'd never killed before, but he felt no revulsion now. He'd steeled himself the moment he went vampire hunting.
Once fangs were bared, he wouldn't stop until every tooth was pulled.
"Record."
Having sorted his thoughts, Ian murmured in a calm voice.
There was no thrill of battle, no frenzy, no excitement. Those were fruits to claim after near-victory. Right now, he needed to mechanically calculate how to kill his opponent. Ian was confident he excelled at this above all.
"Access."
Charrurrruk!
The grimoire's pages turned at Ian's voice.
The grimoire's bound pages were finite, but its content was infinite. The records within had no end; even now, blank pages were forming, new spells being inscribed.
Those blank pages—pristine white canvases untouched by ink—Ian had long used as notebooks. He'd recorded magic circles for learned spells, prepping them for immediate use when needed.
Though this was his first time deploying them in actual combat, Ian didn't hesitate to pull some out.
"Laws are null before me; where I stand is the path."
As he spoke, a dagger flew toward him. He barely ducked and kicked off toward the wall.
Normally, his foot would hit the wall and gravity would topple him. But Ian planted his foot on the wall without resistance and stood firm.
He ran along the wall straight at Eddie. Eddie grimaced at the unprecedented magic and bit into a capsule from his pocket.
Saaaa...!
Black smoke billowed thickly. Within it, unidentified insects writhed with eerie cries.
Ian ignored it.
The moment the smoke touched his hand, he used Recreation magic to erase it entirely.
The smoke and bugs vanished in an instant. Eddie, who hadn't expected such an easy counter, recoiled in shock. Right after, white paint burst from beneath where he'd stood.
The regurgitating liquid wasn't much, but knowing its power, Eddie felt a chill down his spine. If even a drop had splashed him, that part would have melted away.
As that thought hit him, Eddie had no choice but to admit something was wrong. He decided to be honest with himself.
*'Underestimated him too much.'*
Backwater fool. He'd treated the mage from that distant, magic-less speck of Asia like an utter idiot. Well, he was an idiot, but less so than expected. Attacking with minimal prep like this was too reckless.
Of course, he'd considered everything. He'd waited until Ian left his home in the residential area and selected anomalies for a sure kill.
But it all meant nothing. For certain victory, he needed to retreat and strike again.
"Urk!"
The judgment was swift, the action swifter. The moment Ian began a new incantation, Eddie slashed his palm with the dagger, spilling blood.
Spreading red blood. Eddie gathered it in his mouth, swallowed, and shouted loudly.
"Boogeyman!"
With the word, a rotten-flesh arm erupted from Eddie's mouth, slamming down on him from above. But Eddie's body didn't burst; it sank into the floor like being absorbed.
He'd fled. Ian halted his spell, sighed, stepped down from the wall, and closed the grimoire.
*'Comes out of nowhere to ambush, then runs fast enough.'*
He clicked his tongue and approached where Eddie had stood. When the neighbor's door suddenly tried to open, he kicked it shut and carefully scooped the pooled blood with his finger.
*'No need to let him go.'*
Ian briefly returned home for a vial, then carefully collected the blood from the floor.
Not much, but enough. He immediately poured it into the compass he'd prepared.
Kkigigik!
The compass greedily devoured the incoming blood. The needle turned red in seconds, and the pooled blood in the center pulsed like a heartbeat, spinning the needle.
Soon, the compass needle locked toward the E direction. Ian smirked faintly, pocketed the compass, smashed the hallway CCTV, and returned home.
If he intended to kill, it had to be thorough. A dog that bared its teeth deserved to lose its limbs too. No loose ends.
So he'd prepare meticulously. With that thought, Ian shouldered his bag of alchemy items, grabbed two grimoires, a pistol, and cigarettes, then left the house.
He began following the compass.